The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners (BOC) met Feb. 18 to address letters of support and vote on whether a performance review will be conducted on the Baldwin County Board of Tax Assessors.
The meeting began with a presentation by Latonya Howell titled “From Chains to Changes” discussing Black history in Milledgeville. From the 1800s to today, Howell explored the establishment of Milledgeville and the role of African Americans who helped create the city and went on to live there.
“Let your mind formulate a brief moment of the construction of Milledgeville and let’s see it through the eyes of the African American experience,” said Howell. “In 1828, the town claimed 1,599 inhabitants, where 789 were free white, 27 free Blacks, and 783 were enslaved African Americans.”
Howell began her speech with the construction of Milledgeville and its legacy as the capital before Atlanta was given that title. Howell stated that Atlanta symbolized the new civilization while Milledgeville represented the “antebellum, old South.” To prosper, Milledgeville had to grow and so Howell focused her speech on that growth in the areas of education, socialism, and business.
(To hear her full speech, refer to 9:10 on the recorded meeting posted to The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners' Facebook.)
In late 2024, the Georgia Department of Transportation came to Baldwin County BOC and informed them that if the project to move utilities on State Route 49 west of Felton Drive to East of Milledgeville Bypass were to move forward, the county would need to provide proof of support.
This is because, according to County Manger Carlos Tobar, GDOT is considering canceling the project due to cost.
Commissioner Sammy Hall explained that, in 2015, commissioners met with GDOT to move utilities on State Route 49 and ultimately voted to not do it due to not being willing to pay for the utilities on state highways.
“GDOT provided us with a memorandum of understanding that they would not require us to move those utilities. If we are going to provide a letter of support, I’d like us to attach that letter as a reminder of the agreement to not make us pay that utility charge,” said Hall.
Hall stated the commissioners back then also met with GDOT at the intersection of Horace Veal Road and Allen Memorial Drive to discuss changes.
The board had recommended a traffic signal be placed at the intersection, which GDOT reportedly stated was not possible due to the curve and elevation of the location.
“As such, I recommend we also include a recommendation of a traffic signal at that intersection [in the letter of support],” said Hall.
Hall motioned for these two suggestions to be added into an updated version of the resolution.
The vote was unanimous to update the resolution with these changes and to table the resolution until the updated version is ready.
Baldwin County is the fiscal agent for the Middle Georgia Area Workforce so it must approve Georgia Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Grants. The board unanimously approved a grant in the amount of $350,000 in order for it to go toward the adult dislocated workers program.
The grant period is from Oct. 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025.
County Attorney Brandon Palmer presented a resolution to request a performance review of the Baldwin County Board of Tax Assessors and for other purposes. An independent review board would be appointed by the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue to complete an investigation of all actions in compliance with state laws and regulations.
Commissioner Scott Little abstained from voting, due to having four properties under appeal. Commissioner Hall and Chairman Andrew Strickland voted in favor while commissioners Kendrick Butts and Emily Davis voted against the motion. Due to a tie, the motion failed.
The board unanimously approved the appointment of Greenberry Moore to the Ocmulgee Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Panel.
The board unanimously approved the authorization of an agreement with Holt Consulting for airport planning services and for engineering and design. Every five years, the Federal Aviation Administration requires both planning services and engineering and design to go out for bid.
The county received three bids and Holt Consulting was the highest scoring firm.
Assistant County Manager Dawn Hudson presented a Transit ADA Policy update, which is required to be updated each year to match Federal Transit Administration guidelines and verbiage.
The board unanimously approved the updated policy.
The board unanimously approved the submission of the Georgia Firefighters Standard and Training Council Grant. The county is requesting $10,528.20, which is 90% of the cost.
The county manages 10 percent, which is $1,169.80. According to Tobar, the grant is for eleven 50-foot sections of hose and eight 100-foot sections of hoses and couplings.”
Concluding the meeting, Davis proposed the county support the summer food program. It is a federal program that the governor does not support, according to Davis, but that many Baldwin County children depend on.
“If we support it because of the need, our delegation can speak to the governor and he may choose to support it,” said Davis.
The board unanimously approved a letter of support being submitted.
The next board meeting is March 4 at 6 p.m.